THE BAIRD SANDPIPER. 509 



General Range. Eastern North America breeding in the high north. In 

 winter, the West Indies, Central and South America, south to Falkland Islands. 

 Occasional in Europe. 



Range in Ohio. Not uncommon migrant on Lake Erie; rare elsewhere. 

 No recent records. 



THIS Sandpiper is comparatively uncommon anywhere in the interior, 

 and nothing has been added in our state to the meager records left by Dr. 

 Wheaton. It would appear that the bird may be looked for both on the shore 

 cf Lake Erie, and upon the moist uplands of the interior, where it fre- 

 quents pools left by recent rains, quite after the manner of the preceding spe- 

 cies. It is described as very confiding and unacquainted with fear, except 

 in localities where incessant gunning has made all wild things afraid. 



Mr. William Brewster has this to say of its characteristic cry : "It has 

 a very peculiar note, unlike that of any other Sandpiper, which is not 

 in any sense a whistling but is a low lisping sound, and almost the only 

 cry of a shore-bird which is neither mellow nor whistling. When disturbed 

 it moves quickly off, repeating this rather low note, which, however, is al- 

 ways distinctly audible above that of the small Tringce with which it as- 

 sociates." 



No. 234. 



BAIRD SANDPIPER. 



A. O. U. No. 241. Actodromas bairdii Coues. 



Description. Adult in summer: Upper parts fuscous, with considerable 

 edging of buffy and light brownish gray, the buff mostly in lateral striping on 

 top of head and hind-neck, where predominant, and as terminal edging on back, 

 etc. ; some whitish edging on coverts, secondaries and inner quills, but no strong 

 shades or contrasts anywhere ; upper tail-coverts and tail dark fuscous, the former 

 tipped with buff, and the latter edged with whitish, the outer feathers becoming 

 much lighter; forehead and supra-loral streaks white; throat white; the sides of 

 the head, and neck, and breast, with a heavy buffy suffusion, lightly spotted and 

 streaked with brownish dusky ; remaining under parts white ; bill and legs black. 

 In winter, the shades of the upper parts are a little more blended. Immature: 

 Similar to adult, but lighter above, light brownish gray predominating; the feath- 

 ers of back and scapulars rounded, with conspicuous, white, terminal edging; the 

 streaking of breast, etc., less distinct. Length 7.35 (186.7) ' wm 4-^3 ( I22 -7) ' 

 tail 2.03 (51.6) ; bill .91 (23.1) ; tarsus .94 (23.9). 



Recognition Marks. "Sparrow" size, but appearing larger; about the size 

 of a Spotted Sandpiper ; dull fuscous and buffy coloration of upper parts ; buffy 

 breast streaked with fuscous ; upper tail-coverts not white. 



